Equatorial Guinea, 2003

The delegation of the Republic of Equatorial

Guinea joins preceding delegations in congratulating

the President on his election to preside over the work

of the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly of

the United Nations. We know that it is a very difficult

task, Sir, because it is your task to organize the debates

of this the greatest deliberative organ of the United

Nations at a time when the Organization and the

international community are experiencing a crisis

unprecedented in its history.

However, Sir, we have confidence in your

political and diplomatic ability and in the maturity and

prudence of your country in dealing with international

problems; thus we are optimistic that our deliberations

will meet with the greatest success.

We also congratulate Secretary-General Kofi

Annan on his tireless efforts to ensure that the United

Nations fulfils its mission of peace in the various

armed conflicts, its humanitarian action in response to

the disasters affecting many countries and its efforts to

promote peace negotiations and multiple forms of

cooperation in order to achieve sustainable

development in the world.

The Republic of Equatorial Guinea expresses

before the Assembly its serious concern at the current

international situation, which is manifestly affecting

international peace and security, which the United

Nations was created to safeguard. Indeed, since the end

of the cold war, which gave rise to hope for a more

united, cooperative, integrated and peaceful world of

greater solidarity, it has seemed that the principle rules

governing international relations have been steadily

losing force, with the risk that each State will act

according to its own will.

The concepts of democracy, human rights and

technical cooperation and assistance are being misused

to the detriment of some, and are being exploited to the

benefit of others. The concept of democracy, which is

understood as governing according to the will of each

people, has today been transformed into a demand

imposed by certain States in violation of the universal

principle that every State is free to adopt the political

system that best suits it. Furthermore, the principles of

State sovereignty and non-interference in the internal

affairs of other States, enshrined in international law,

have been violated in recent years under the pretext of

the need for humanitarian intervention, which are often

conducted without United Nations approval.

The efforts to establish a new international

economic order that ensures cooperation for global

development have ended in the division of the world

into North and South, and political conditions are now

being imposed on the cooperative assistance that is

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offered. Efforts towards the globalization of economic

policies have not recognized the weak position of

underdeveloped countries, which suffer grave

disadvantages in participating and competing in the so-

called globalization of the world. We believe that the

policy of globalization needs to include a special

programme for the sustainable development of

developing countries in order to help them attain the

level of maturity necessary to benefit from such an

integration. In all these efforts to achieve international

cooperation for global development, there are good

intentions, but the decisive will needed to build a fairer

and more equitable world has been lacking.

Meanwhile, the situation of the weakest countries

deteriorates, the economic crisis worsens, political

upheaval spreads and Governments are taking a harsher

stance to protect their power.

Internal warfare, mercenaries and terrorism are

taking root because, as occurred in the Middle Ages,

the people cannot bear hunger and poverty and are

driven to civil disobedience. At the same time, the

United Nations is losing its authority because its

decision-making organs are not democratic, and its

capacity for humanitarian assistance falls short because

of the proliferation of disasters caused by wars and acts

of terrorism.

In our opinion, and most regrettably, humanity is

already dehumanized and the United Nations has lost

its authority. We must now shoulder the responsibility

of rebuilding our policies and of morally rebuilding the

Organization and restoring its authority. It is the only

world body capable of representing humanity with

authority and the only one in which we can achieve

universal consensus.

It is here that we can fight terrorism and

organized crime, because everything is listened to and

everything is discussed in this forum. The use of

weapons against terrorism could turn us into terrorists

ourselves. Thus my delegation naturally and

energetically condemns the terrorist attack against the

United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, which caused

the death of the Special Representative of the

Secretary-General, Mr. Sergio Vieira de Mello, and

those of some 30 staff working in the service of peace.

We express our deep condolences at the loss of those

noble workers in the service of humanity. We therefore

believe that now is the time to adopt strategies so that

United Nations peacekeeping missions will not be

confused with any interests other than the peaceful

settlement of hostilities.

As for my country, Equatorial Guinea is faithful

to its commitments as a full-fledged Member of the

United Nations and a member of the African Union,

committed to the maintenance of peaceful relations of

friendship and cooperation with other countries. We

respect the sovereignty, national unity, territorial

integrity and inalienable rights of other States within

their borders, and we favour the promotion of the

socio-political development of nations.

In that connection, Equatorial Guinea is a party to

all international conventions that protect the political,

economic and sociocultural rights of peoples.

Democracy, as the consensus of the people, is a reality

in which our country is immersed, with the coexistence

of the 13 political parties that constitute it, observing

the commitments of the binding national political pact

between the Government and the opposition.

Undoubtedly, today the formation of a broad-based

Government is the greatest exponent of peace and

political stability that my country has ever known.

In order to ensure such internal political

consensus and cooperation with other countries and

international organizations, we believe that

transparency is absolutely necessary, because it

benefits all parties. Equatorial Guinea offers open and

unrestricted cooperation to everyone, on the basis of

transparent action, for everyone's mutual benefit.

Nevertheless, we are aware that our possibilities are

very limited as far as acquiring modern technology and

laying the foundations for sustained and sustainable

and development are concerned. Therefore, we request

international cooperation in that regard from friendly

countries and from international assistance

organizations.

I conclude by expressing the hope that the United

Nations will recover its leadership in promoting the

peace and development of our world.